Collecting jekeromal requires skill and patience. The flower stems are at the top of coconut palms, which can be very tall. Collectors tie a small container under the cut and return the next morning to collect what has dripped in overnight. A good flower cluster can produce about a litre of sap per day.
Fresh jekeromal is sweet and clear. It can be drunk straight or used as an ingredient in cooking and sweets. If it is left out in the warm air it begins to ferment, which changes the flavour and makes it fizzy and slightly tangy. The fresh version is the one children enjoy most at community gatherings.
Coconut palms are one of the most important trees in the Marshall Islands. Every part of the tree is used: the fruit for food and drink, the leaves for weaving, the trunk for building, the roots in traditional medicine, and the flowers for jekeromal. Marshallese people say the coconut palm is like a generous friend that gives something useful every day.
At festivals and family celebrations, jekeromal is often served alongside food prepared from breadfruit, pandanus, and fresh fish. Sharing food and drink together is an important part of Marshallese community life, and jekeromal has been part of these gatherings for generations.